88



Mr. J. L. Bonhote



dibles are reversed so that the upper mandible takes the place of

the lower and vice versa.


But this difference is more apparent than real, for, when

the bird is feeding, his mandibles, owing primarily to the down¬

ward bend of the neck but also to their own peculiar shape,

become reversed so that the beak is, for practical purposes,

precisely similar to that of a true duck. The edges of the

mandibles are laminated though not quite as thoroughly as in the

ducks; but the tongue which is very large and fleshy has

filamentous processes on either side answering the same purpose,

and which, as the bird strains the water through its bill, serves to

retain any solid particles of food or mud, the latter being

swallowed in large quantities. Owing to the barrenness of the

localities in which it lives and to its brilliant colour it is a most

conspicuous bird, aud can be made out at a distance of a mile or

more; it is however very wary and most difficult to approach,

stretching up its neck to the uttermost on the slightest sign of

danger.


Their power of hearing does not appear to be very greatly

developed as, if near any cover, they would allow a close

approach so long as the observer kept out of sight; let him,

however, but show himself in ever so slight a manner, every neck

at once shoots upwards and the birds will retreat walking away

in a slow aud dignified manner and eventually take to the wing.


The bump of curiosity is, however, considerably developed

and they seldom flew away at once, almost invariably taking a

good look at the intruder before doing so, and frequently settling

again a few hundred yards off to study the habits of the strange

human animal that was invading their solitudes. If undisturbed

they remain very quiet all day, and are rarely seen on the wing

except in the morning aud evening. During the winter they

spread about over the islands wherever suitable feeding grounds

are to be found, but in the breeding season they r gather together

in immense flocks at certain places which are frequented year by

year. The colonies of nests are not built every year on precisely

the same spots, but within a very short distance of those of

former years; I found about ten colonies in various stages of

decay within a radius of about a mile.



